Composite structure

• US 9,102,102 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Meyer, Jonathan, Matthews, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hern, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/641,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20130034684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 428/113, 428/105, 428/119, 428/98
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/202 arranged in parallel planes or structures of fibres crossing at substantial angles, e.g. cross-moulding compound [XMC] B29C70/207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/085 Wind turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3085 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/26 Construction, shape, or attachment of separate skins, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24 Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24058 including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in respective layers or components in angular relation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24124 Fibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet

Abstract

A structure comprising a plurality of plies of fiber-reinforced composite material, each ply having a ply orientation defined by a principal stiffness direction of the ply. The structure has a first region and a second region, each region comprising N1 primary plies, N4 cross plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the primary plies, N2 positive-angled bias plies with a ply orientation at a positive acute angle to the primary plies, and N3 negative-angled bias plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the positive-angled bias plies. The ply orientation of the primary plies in each region is more closely aligned with a primary axis of the structure than the cross plies or the bias plies. N1=N4 in the first region but not in the second N region, and N2=N3 in the second region but not in the first region. In each of the two regions, one ply set is balanced and the other ply set is un-balanced. This provides a compromise between the advantages of using un-balanced ply sets, for instance to provide bending torsion coupling, and the disadvantage that un-balanced ply sets can introduce thermally induced distortion during manufacture.

Claims

1. A structure comprising a plurality of plies of fiber reinforced composite material, each ply having a ply orientation defined by a principal stiffness direction of the ply, the structure having a first region and a second region, each region comprising N1 primary plies, N4 cross plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the primary plies, N2 positive-angled bias plies with a ply orientation at a positive acute angle to the primary plies, and N3 negative-angled bias plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the positive-angled bias plies;

wherein the ply orientation of the primary plies in each region is more closely aligned with a primary axis of the structure than the cross plies or the bias plies;

wherein N1=N4 in the first region but not in the second region;

wherein N2=N3 in the second region but not in the first region; and

wherein N3/N2 decreases in successive steps across the first region.

2. The structure of claim 1 further comprising a third region, the third region comprising N1 primary plies, N4 cross plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the primary plies, N2 positive-angled bias plies with a ply orientation at a positive acute angle to the primary plies, and N3 negative-angled bias plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the positive-angled bias plies;

wherein the ply orientation of the primary plies in the third region is more closely aligned with a primary axis of the structure than the cross plies or the bias plies;

wherein N1=N4 in the third region; and

wherein N2=N3 in the third region.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the fibers in each ply are substantially straight and unidirectional, at least in the first and second regions.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ply orientation of the primary plies in the first region is substantially parallel with the ply orientation of the primary plies in the second region.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the ply orientation of the bias plies in the first region is substantially parallel with the ply orientation of the bias plies in the second region.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein each region has only four ply orientations.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein the structure is a skin panel for forming an outer aerodynamic surface of a wing, wind turbine blade or other aerodynamic structure.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein the structure is an aerodynamic structure including at least one of a wing and a wind turbine blade.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein the composite material is a thermosetting or thermoplastic composite material.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein N1/N4 decreases in a series of steps across the second region.

11. A spar comprising a web and a flange extending laterally from the web, the spar comprising a plurality of plies of fiber reinforced composite material, each ply having a ply orientation defined by a principal stiffness direction of the ply, the spar having a first region and a second region, each region comprising N1 primary plies, N4 cross plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the primary plies, N2 positive-angled bias plies with a ply orientation at a positive acute angle to the primary plies, and N3 negative-angled bias plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the positive-angled bias plies;

wherein the ply orientation of the primary plies in each region is more closely aligned with a primary axis of the spar than the cross plies or the bias plies;

wherein N1=N4 in the first region but not in the second region;

wherein N2=N3 in the second region but not in the first region, and

wherein the first region is in the web of the spar and the second region is in the flange of the spar.

12. A structure comprising a plurality of plies of fiber reinforced composite material, each ply having a ply orientation defined by a principal stiffness direction of the ply, the structure having a first region and a second region, each region comprising N1 primary plies, N4 cross plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the primary plies, N2 positive-angled bias plies with a ply orientation at a positive acute angle to the primary plies, and N3 negative-angled bias plies with a ply orientation substantially perpendicular to the positive-angled bias plies;

wherein the ply orientation of the primary plies in each region is more closely aligned with a primary axis of the structure than the cross plies or the bias plies;

wherein N1=N4 in the first region but not in the second region;

wherein N2=N3 in the second region but not in the first region; and

wherein the structure is a cantilevered structure with a root mounted to a support structure and a primary axis extending outboard from the root, the first region being an outboard region which is positioned further outboard from the root than the second region, the bias plies inducing a bending torsion coupling in the outboard region.

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein N1/N4 decreases in a series of steps across the second region.

14. The structure of claim 12 wherein N3/N2 decreases in a series of steps across the first region.